Samuel Cooley (Coley, Coole, etc.) ca 1614 - 1684
There were two Cooleys (with spelling variations to their names) present in the Colonies in the early 17th century. Benjamin Cooley is documented in the early vital records of Springfield in Massachusetts Bay Colony with the birth of his daughter Bethia(h) in 1643. From "Families of Early Milford, Connecticut" page 213 - 214: Samuel Coley was of Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1631, and in 1639 in Milford, Connecticut Colony. Benjamin and Samuel were connected through the marriages of their daughters. Samuel’s daughter, Abilena(h) married Japhet Chapin of Springfield and Bethia(h) married Japhet’s brother Henry.
Many of Samuel’s descendants spelled their last name Cooley. Indeed, Samuel is documented occasionally in the records of the time by the name Cooley. Other Samuel descendants spelled their surname Coley (and there may be other variants). There has been no evidence found that Samuel and Benjamin are related.
Recently, two men who have identified themselves as Samuel descendants have had their DNA tested. One's DNA aligns very closely with known Benjamin descendants. The other’s test results do not align with any other Cooley DNA test results. In order to understand these findings, more data are needed. The pedigree of these two men needs to be rigorously examined. The implications are that either Samuel is not related to Benjamin and has DNA dissimilar to other tested Cooley lines, or Samuel and Benjamin share a common Cooley ancestor.
The Cooley Family Association of America (CFAA) is looking for several male descendants of Samuel Coley who have a documented unbroken male line to Samuel to submit to CFAA-sponsored (i.e. free) DNA testing. This test is a simple and painless cheek swab. This is a genealogy DNA test. No medical information is gathered. He will have full access to the test results and the data will become part of the Cooley DNA surname project at Family Tree DNA. One does not have to be a CFAA member to be tested, If you are a woman or a descendant whose surname was interrupted along the way (a descendant of a daughter, for example), but you know a male Coley/Cooley descendant of Samuel, please ask them to contact the CFAA. If you are a male Samuel descendant (son of a son of a son, etc. back to Samuel), please contact the CFAA. Your participation is appreciated and will help unravel one of our Cooley immigrant ancestor mysteries.
CFAA contact: [email protected]